The EGG Dysphagia Straw Design Team aims to address the issue of dysphagia, which is medically defined as difficulty swallowing both liquids and solid food. An extensive array of diseases are characterized by symptoms of dysphagia, including neurological disorders and head and neck cancers. The large number of conditions that cause dysphagia make this condition relevant, yet difficult to treat. Our design team’s objective is to offer a comprehensive solution to ease the discomfort dysphagia patients feel while swallowing and allow them to intake liquids without incident.

A device that is currently on the market to ease discomfort in dysphagic patients is SafeStraw. This is a metered drinking device that seeks to decrease aspiration by decreasing the amount of liquid a patient can intake at once. Since SafeStraw has not been widely used by dysphagic patients, the undergraduate team has begun a study at the UVA Hospital that involves both the SafeStraw and a conventional hospital straw that will be provided to the patient and used in order to complete a comparison study. Based on the results from the study, the team will create a new technology in hopes to improve the overall quality and safety of drinking for dysphagic patients.